All magnetic shift register



Aug. 21, 1962 E. P. s'rABLER ALL MAGNETIC SHIFT REGISTER Filed March 2. 1960 INVENTORI EDWARD P. STABLER HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 3,050,715 Patented Aug. 21, 1962 3,050,715 ALL MAGNETIC SHIFT REGISTER Edward P. Stabler, North Syracuse, N.Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 12,333 Claims. (Cl. 340-174) The invention relates to a novel shift register and more `particularly to a shift register of a continuous magnetic core construction using magnetic paths for signal transfer.

Shift registers employing magnetic elements are known in the art. They normally employ a plurality of toroids coupled together by an electrical circuit including diodes or other forms of coupling elements. A few of these prior art networks are described in an article by L. A. Russell entitled Diodeless Magnetic Core Logical Circuits, published in the 1957 IRE National Convention Record. Applicants device differs from these as well as other known prior art devices in that a single continuous core construction is employed to perform the complex logical operation of an entire shift register. Thus, the conventional coupling elements required in the prior art devices are now unnecessary because flux is coupled from one element to another entirely by means of the core structure. Applicants magnetic core configuration is constructed of inexpensive materials and is subject to mass fabrication techniques since it may be fabricated as a single core member. It is rugged and reliable and consumes a small amount of power. Another advantage is that the construction offers high resistance to atomic radiation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel shift register device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel shift register device of a unitary magnetic core construction.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel shift register device using magnetic paths for signal transfer.

Briefly, the invention provides a shift register composed of a continuous magnetic core construction of conventional square loop material, i.e., material which exhibits a remanence characteristic plus a low permeability at saturation so that storage and gating functions, necessary for the shift register operation, may be performed. The continuous core comprises a ladder-like array of longitudinally arranged legs periodically joined by transversely arranged legs to form a series of alternately spaced information and ready closed-path elements, each closedpath element being coupled by a pair of longitudinally arranged legs. Binary information is stored by the orientation of a saturation flux in the transverse legs of said information elements and is shifted to ai'succeeding information element through an intermediate' ready element under the inuence of four successive shift pulses provided by a four phase clocking pulse generator. Thus, the flux in the transverse legs of a first information element is coupled into the transverse legs of the succeeding ready element by the application of the first two shift pulses, and is coupled to the transverse legs of the succeeding information element by the application of the second two shift pulses.

Although the features of the invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claim,l the invention itself both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram of applicants all magnetic shift register; and

FIGURE 2 is a graphical representation of the flux patterns which occur in the saturating paths of the core of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, an all magnetic shift register 1, built in accordance with the principles of the present invention, is illustrated. It receives a train of binary information at at least one of the information closed-path elements. By way of example, information is received at the extreme left-hand information closcdpath element 2 and the information is shifted to the right through a succession of ready and information closedpath elements, of which are illustrated elements 3, 4 and 5. The shift register may have as many closed-path elements as required. The shift register is constructed of a continuous saturable magnetic core material, preferably a unitary ferrite material having a substantially square loop hysteresis characteristic. It should be recognized, however, that the essential characteristics of the core material `are that it exhibit remanence and have a low permeability at saturation, so that relatively poor square loop magnetic materials may be satisfactory. The input information is supplied to the first information element 2 by winding 6 from signal input source 7. Coupling memibers, of which 8, 9 and 10 are illustrated, provide ux paths coupling the various information and ready elements. Each ready and information element consists 0f two transverse uX paths or legs of a first cross sectional area and a first length, and two connecting longitudinal iiux paths or legs of said first cross sectional area and a second length interconnected to form a closed-path. Said second length is approximately three or more times said first length. These dimensions aid in the orderly transfer of signal information along the register, as will be explained below.

In the first information element 2, the transverse legs are numbered 11 and 12 and the longitudinal legs 13 and 14. Ready element 3 includes transverse legs l5 and 16 and longitudinal legs 17 and 18. Information element 4 includes transverse legs 19 and 20 and longitudinal legs 21 and 22. Ready element 5 includes transverse legs 23 and 24 and longitudinal legs 25 and 26. The coupling members each comprise two longitudinal legs which are approximately equal to said first length of the transverse legs. The cross sectional area of the coupling longitudinal legs, for reasons to be explained below, must be at least equal to two times said first cross sectional area. Leg 27 of coupling element 8 couples the junction of legs 12 and 13 to the junction of legs 15 and 17. Leg 28 couples the junction of legs 12 and 14 to the junction of legs 15 and 18. Legs 29, 30, 31 and 32 of the remaining coupling elements 9 and 10 similarly couple together the lfgs of the remaining information and ready elements Binary input information of a l or a 0 is supplied to the first information element 2. Input winding 6 is wound about leg 14 for providing the input information from input source 7. The input information will orient the flux in legs 11 and 12 in a direction indicative of a 1 or a A 1 is represented by a saturation fiux in the clockwise direction around element 2, providing ux saturation in the upward direction in leg 11 and in the downward direction in leg 12, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. (For ease of understanding the upward direction is defined to be the direction of the arrow in leg 11.) A O is represented by a counterclockwise saturation flux around element 2, providing ux saturation in the downward direction in leg 11 and in the up ward direction in leg 12. Infomation is stored with similar convention in the transverse legs of the other information and ready elements. Thus, information and ready elements 3, 4 and 5 are illustrated to be in the 0 condition.

It may be seen that with the information stored in each of the information elements, each of the ready elements is in the zero condition, which is necessary in order to be able to receive a shifted information |bit from the preceding information element. Each of the upper longitudinal legs of the coupling elements has a flux directed towards the left as viewed in the drawing, and each of the lower longitudinal legs has a ux directed towards the right. The llux orientation in the various transverse legs of the register for this initial condition is illustrated in FIGURES l and 2.

llnformation is shifted out of the information elements to the adjacentY` ready elements at the right by the application of a first sequence of two successive positive shift pulses. Thus, Shift pulse 1 is applied from four phase pulse generator and timer 33 along conductor 34 to windings 35 and 36 which are wound about longitudinal legs 27 and 28 of coupling member 8, and to windings 37 and 38 which are wound around legs 31 and 32 of coupling member 10. Each of the clocking windings on the respective legs has the same number of turns. Pulse 1 is applied so as to drive ux in a clockwise direction, thus reversing the llux saturation in legs 12 and 16. This new ux pattern is illustrated in FIGURE 2. The amplitude and duration of the shift pulse is limited so as to be sufficient to rapidly drive ux in a path around one coupling member plus one information or ready element but is insuicient to drive flux in a path around one information element plus one ready element. Thus, no ux reversal is eected by the input pulse to windings 37 and 38.

A second shift pulse is now applied from pulse generator 33 along conductor 39 to windings 40 and 41 which are wound about the two longitudinal legs 13 and 14 of information element 2, and to windings 42 and 43 which are wound about longitudinal legs 21 and 22 of information element 4. This second pulse drives ux in a counterclockwise direction and causes switching in legs 11 and 15, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The Second shift pulse effects no switching in legs 19 and 23 because legs 21 and 22 are saturated in a direction to oppose switching. Thus, it may be seen that the stored 1 has been shifted from element 2 into ready element 3. The previously stored in element 4 was eiectively shifted into ready element 5, although as is seen no actual switching took place since the ready element was already in the 0 condition. A similar shift of information from information element to ready elements has taken place throughout the shift register, and all information elements are now in the 0 condition and all ready elements in various information conditions. It may also be seen that the aforementioned length dimensions of the longitudinal legs of the various elements and members makes possible the selective coupling of l llux, noted above, which allows switching to occur in the transverse legs adjacent information and ready elements when a 1 is being shifted and no switching to occur when a Ois shifted. The cross sectional areas of the transverse legs must be equal so that a complete reversal of the llux saturation can take place in said transverse legs. 'I'he cross sectional areas of the longitudinal legs of the coupling members must be great enough to accommodate the flux coupling between transverse legs. The cross sectional areas of the longitudinal legs must be equal to that of said transverse legs so as to prevent improper flux reversals.

-By the application of a second Sequence of two successive positive shift pulses supplied by the four phase pulse generator 33, these pulses being identical to the first two, the information is shifted further to the right into the succeeding information elements so that one complete shifting cycle from information element to information element is accomplished. The third shift pulse is applied from generator 33 along conductor 44 to windings 45 and 46 which are wound about longitudinal legs 29 and 30 of the coupling member 9, and switching takes place in legs 16 and 20. The third shift pulse also gates an input into information element 2 from input source 7. Assuming a 0 bit is being applied to element 2, the flux pattern within the various legs of the core after the third shift pulse are as illustrated in FIG- URE 2. The fourth shift is applied from pulse generator 33 along conductor 47 to windings 48 and 49 which are wound about longitudinal legs 17 and 18 of ready element 3, and to windings 50 and 51 which are wound around legs 25 and 26 of element 5. Switching takes place in legs 15 and 19. Thus, after the application of the fourth pulse, the flux pattern in the core will appear as in FIGURE 2 from which it may be readily seen that the ilux pattern initially in information element 2 has been shifted to information element 4. A further succession of four successive shift pulses shifts the information to the next information element and this process is continued for as long as necessary.

The information elements are each coupled to associated output means, output means 52 and 53 receiving output information from elements 2 and 4 respectively. Output means 52 includes windings 54 and 55 which are wound about legs 11 and 12 of element 2, and output means 53 includes windings 56 and 57 which are wound about legs 19 and 20 respectively, said windings sensing the flux changes in elements 2 and 4. The pulse generator and timer 33 is coupled to each of the output means and provides for the taking of an output after the fourth shift pulse. Each of the output means may be made to readout simultaneously or readout may be taken from only a single output means. Either a destructive or a non-destructive readout technique may be employed.

Although the applicants device has been described in a specific form, it should be recognized that numerous modifications thereto may be employed without exceeding applicants teaching. Thus, the longitudinal legs of the information, ready and coupling members may be of a curved construction to facilitate ilux coupling between the various elements and to minimize flux leakage. The ux path lengths coupling information and ready elements may be varied as long as they are substantially less than the longitudinal legs of said information and ready elements to provide proper ux reversals. With regard to this, although the first shift pulses have been described as being limited in amplitude and duration, it should be apparent that if they are sufficiently amplitude limited, they cannot effect flux reversals even if the duration is unlimited. In addition, it may be desirable to make the cross sectional area of the longitudinal legs of the information and ready elements comparable to the cross sectional area of the legs of the coupling members for ease of construction. This may be done if both the rst and second shift pulses are critically limited so as to drive flux in a path around one of said elements plus a coupling member, but not around an element plus two coupling members. This then obviates the necessity for the longitudinal legs of said elements to saturate.

The clock windings, which are illustrated as connected in parallel and wound about pairs of the longitudinal legs, may be readily placed in series. They also may alternatively be wound about only one leg of each pair of longitudinal legs. The output windings also need be wound about only one leg of each pair of transverse legs. Further, the core construction being symmetrical about a center longitudinal axis, may have the lower or upper longitudinal legs of the various elements and members replaced by a magnetic ground, a magnetic ground being unsaturable and having no magnetic field developed therein. A relatively large mass of magnetic material would make a suitable magnetic ground.

In addition, the flux may be driven by means other than the indicated windings, e.g., numerous winding arrangements may be employed to perform the basic shift register operation, as well as to increase the operating margins and to compensate for changes in the magnetic material properties. It should also be recognized that applicants shift register may be operated to shift information signals from right to left if desired, this being accomplished simply by reversing the polarity and order of the shift pulses. 'I'he appended claims are intended to be construed as including these as well as other modifications which fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A signal translating device having a continuous magnetic core member of a core material which exhibits remanence plus low permeability at saturation for 'infomation storage having a configuration comprising a series of alternating first and second closed magnetic fiux path elements, said elements each being interconnected by two legs providing separate magnetic fiux paths therebetween, means for orienting the flux in said elements in a single direction in accordance with stored information, said means including a four phase pulse source for supplying clocking signals to said core member having the first phase coupled to at least one of said legs coupling the first closed-path elements to the succeeding second closedpath elements, the second phase being coupled to each of said first closed-path elements, the third phase being coupled to at least one of said legs coupling said second closed-path elements to the succeeding first closed-path elements and said fourth phase being coupled to each of said second closed-path elements whereby the stored information is successively shifted from said first closed-path elements through succeeding second closed-path elements to succeeding first closed-path elements.

2. A signal translating device as in claim 1 wherein the path length of said first and second closed-path elements is approximately equal and wherein the length of the portion of said paths between adjacent interconnections of said elements to said legs is larger than the length of said legs so that said shift pulses effect a flux change between two succeeding elements only when the flux orientation within said two succeeding elements is initially in different rotational senses.

3. A signal translating device having a continuous magnetic core member of a core material which exhibits remanence plus low permeability at saturation for information storage having a configuration comprising a series of alternating first and second closed magnetic flux path elements, each of said elements including two transverse legs coupled together by two longitudinal legs, said elements being coupled together by an additional two longitudinal legs providing separate magnetic fiux paths therebetween to form a ladder-like array, means for orienting the flux in said elements in a single direction in accordance With stored information, said means including a four phase pulse source for supplying clocking signals to said core member having the first phase coupled to each of said additional longitudinal legs coupling the first closed-path elements to the succeeding second closed-path elements, the second phase being coupled to each of said longitudinal legs of said first closed-path elements, the third phase being coupled to each of said additional longitudinal legs coupled to each of said longitudinal legs of said second ing first closed-path elements and said fourth phase being coupled to each of said longitudinal legs of said second closed-path elements whereby the stored information is successively shifted from said first closed-path elements through succeeding second closed-path elements to succeeding first closed-path elements.

6 4. A signal translating device as in claim 3 wherein said longitudinal legs and said additional longitudinal legs have windings wound therearound, said clocking signals -being applied to said windings.

5. A signal translating device having a continuous magnetic core member of a core material which exhibits remanence plus low permeability at saturation for information storage having a configuration comprising a..

series of alternating first and second; osed magnetic flux path elements, said elements each being interconnected by at least one leg providing a separate flux path therebetween, means for orienting the flux in said elements in a single direction in accordance with stored information, said means including first means connected with each of said first closed-path elements for transferring the flux orientation within said first closed-path elements to the succeeding second closed-path elements and second means connected with each of said second closed-path elements for transferring the flux orientation within said second closed-path elements to the succeeding first closed-path elements whereby said information is successively shifted along the elements of said device.

6. A signal translating device as in claim 5 wherein the length of the portion of said paths between adjacent interconnections of said elements to said legs is larger than the length of said legs so that said first and second means produce a flux change within two succeeding elements only when the flux orientation within said two succeeding elements is initially in different rotational senses.

7. A signal translating device as in claim 5 wherein said first and second means include a plurality of windings which are wound around said first and second closedpath elements and around their interconnecting legs, said windings having a succession of energizing shift pulses a plied thereto.

8. A signal translating device having a continuous magf netic core member of a core material which exhibits remanence plus low permeability at saturation for information storage having a configuration comprising a series of alternating first and second closed magnetic linx path elements, each of said elements including two transverse legs coupled together by two longitudinal legs, said elements being coupled together by an additional two longitudinal legs providing separate magnetic flux paths therebetween to form a ladder-like array, means for orienting the iiux in the transverse legs of said elements in accordance with stored information, said means including a four phase pulse source for supplying clocking signals to said core member having the first phase coupled to each of said additional longitudinal legs coupling the first closedpath elements to the succeeding second closed-path elements for shifting the flux orientation in one transverse leg of said first closed-path elements to the respective one transverse leg of said succeeding second closed-path elements, the second phase being coupled to each of said longitudinal legs of said first closed-path elements for shifting the flux orientation in the other transverse leg of said first closed-path elements to the respective other transverse leg of said succeeding second closed-path elements, the third phase being coupled to each of said additional longitudinal legs coupling said second closed-path elements to the succeeding first closed-path elements for shifting the fiux orientation in one transverse leg of said second closed-path elements to the respective one transverse leg of said succeeding first closed-path elements and said fourth phase being coupled to each of said longitudinal legs of said second closed-path elements for shifting the flux orientation in the other transverse leg of said second closed-path elements to the respective other transverse leg of said succeeding first closed-path elements whereby the stored information is successively shifted along the elements of said device.

9. A signal translating device as in claim 8 wherein said means for orienting includes input means for coupling said information into at least one of said first closed- 7 Path elements 'and icludg Output means fOr receiving References cited in the me of this patent lllscllJ-ilfetg lefrenlstion from at least one of said rst UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 A Signal translating device aS in Claim 8 wherein 2,869,112 H'llnter Ian. 13 1959 said longitudinal legs are 0f a length greater than that of 5 2,951,245 Klhn Aug 30 1960 said additional longitudinal legs so that said shift pulses eiect a llux change in said transverse legs only when the OTHER REFERENCES ux orientation in the respective transverse legs of two Flux Shifting Device, E. W. Bauer, S. A. Butler, IBM succeeding elements is diierent. Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 1, No. 2, August 1958. 

